One more example of what we tell our students: make sure the data supports your conclusions…

When the National Research Council published the results of a decade-long study on the effects of standardized testing on student learning this summer, critics who have long opposed the use of exams as a teaching incentive rejoiced.

But Eric Hanushek, a Stanford University economist who is influential in education research, now says the “told you so” knee-jerk reaction was unwarranted: In an article released Monday by Harvard University’s journal Education Next, Hanushek argues that the report misrepresents its own findings, unjustifiably amplifying the perspective of those who don’t believe in testing. His article has even caused some authors of the NRC report to express concerns with its conclusions.